This invention relates to systems for transporting fluid or dry, free flowing materials and more particularly to an improved coupling arrangement for pipe sections, elbows and fittings of conveying lines used in such systems.
In systems for transporting fluid or dry, free flowing materials, there usually is provided one or more conveying lines made up of a plurality of pipe sections, elbows and fittings connected together. Typically such components have been connected together by welding, threaded fittings, bolted flanges or a variety of compression or banding couplings. Such coupling arrangements, however, have been found not to be entirely satisfactory for such systems. In particular, it has been found that such arrangements have not been readily conducive to ease of disassembly and reassembly for inspection, cleaning or maintenance purposes, or effective in providing smooth, continuous internal surfaces to facilitate the flow of material therethrough and prevent the lodging of material in crevices located in component joints, fluid tight seals between adjoining components to prevent a pressure loss in the conveying line and a suitable shielding of the sealing means disposed between adjoining components from the material being conveyed to prevent seal erosion caused by product abrasion.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a fluid or dry, free flowing material conveying line.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a fluid or dry, free flowing material conveying line of a material transporting system.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a fluid or dry, free flowing material conveying system, including pipe sections, elbows and fittings.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a conveying line of a material transporting system in which such couplings may be readily disassembled and reassembled for inspection, cleaning or maintenance purposes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a conveying line of a material transport system which provides a fluid tight seal between adjoining components for preventing a pressure loss in the line.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a conveying line of a material transport system in which the sealing means between adjoining components of the line are shielded from the product being conveyed thus preventing seal erosion caused by product abrasion.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling arrangement for adjoining components of a material conveying line in which there is provided smooth, continuous internal surfaces in adjoining components, devoid of any crevices in which product might lodge to inhibit the free flow of the material being conveyed.